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g 1,476,446 A. C. HOFFMAN Locum DEVICE FOR TOOLS Dec. 4 1923.

Filed Feb. 19 1925 IN VE/V TOR M 147'TORNEY Patented Dec. 4, 1923.

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ALEXANDER C. HOFFMAN, OF WHEELING,'WEET VIRGINIA.

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Application filed February 19, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known'that I, ALEXANDER C. Horr- MAN, a citizen of the United States of America, and resident of Wheeling, county of Ohio, and State of ,West Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Looking Devices for Tools, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a device for securing miners tools against theft, and it has for its object to provide a simple and inexpensive device whereby a plurality of tools of the character employed by miners may be secured together in such manner that theft of any number of such tools less than the entire number is effectually prevented.

, In describing the invention in detail, ref erence is herein had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation of the invention illustrating the application thereof;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of a tool-holding clip with a miners pick held therein;

Figure 3 is a similar view of a clip with a drill or auger brace mounted therein; and

Figure 4 is anenlarged perspective view of-a clip.

Referring to said drawing, 1 indicates a chain of an ordinary connected-link type which has attached to one end thereof a headed stop member or abutment 2 of knob 0r button-like form against which rests one end of a heavy coil spring 3 that encircles the adjacent end portion of said chain. Removably mounted upon the chain is a plurality of metal clips 10, preferably formed of heavy sheet metal, having a substantially U-shaped formation, each clip having eyes 9 provided in the outer end portions of its parallel members, through which said chain is threaded, as shown in Fig. 1. Each of said clips is designed to support one of the various tools employed by miners, and the various clips are made of sizes suited to the tools which they are to hold, it being obviously required that those clips which are to hold large headed tools, as an axe 4, shall be of a size larger than those which are to hold smaller headed tools, as a small hammer 5, a pick 6, or the like.

Provided in the transverse member of Serial No. 619,993.

each clip which is to support a tool having a handle, as the handles i 5 and 6 of the axe, hammer and pick, or a handle-like memher, as the stem 7 of an auger breast plate 7, is a hole S'designed to have such handle or handle-like member directed therethrough, as shown.

Having mounted the various tools in clips 10 of appropriate sizes, the chain 1 is passed through the eyes 9 of said clips, the latter being arranged in abutting relation'with the eyes 9 thereof in alinement. Said chain is then drawn tightly against-the tension of the spring 3, and a suitable look, as the padlock 11, is then attached to that link of the chain which projects through the last of the clip eyes, as shown in Fig. 1. It is designed that the spring shall be compressed to such extent that the chain will be placed under strong tension, thereby to effectually prevent said chain from being" drawn or flexed away from its closely overlying position with respect to any of the tools sufii ciently to permit withdrawal of the latter past the chain.

It will be understood that any number of tools and various tools other than those herein shown for illustrative purposes may be secured by means of the invention herein described.

What is claimed is- 1. A device for securing together a plurality of tools, comprising a plurality of U- shaped metal clips, each clip having eyes in the parallel members thereof and having an eye in the cross member thereof for the reception of the handle of a tool received between said parallel members, a chain adapted to be threaded through the first mentioned eyes of said clips, a stop member carried at one end of said chain, a compression spring interposed between said headed member and the innermost clip, and a locking device attached to said chain adjacent to'the outermost clip.

2. A device for securing together a plurality of tools, comprising a plurality of U- shaped metal clips, each clip having eyes in the parallel members thereof and having an eye in the cross member thereof for the reception of the handle of a tool received between said parallel members, said clips being adapted to seat in abutting alined relation, held compressed for maintaining said chain a chain adapted to be threaded through the under yielding tension.

first mentioned eyes of said alined clips, an In testimcny whereof, I afiix my signature abutment carried by one end of said chain, in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

a spring encircling said chain at a suitable ALEXANDER C. HOFFMAN. point, and a padlock attached to said chain, Vitnesses: 7

said padlock and said abutment being dis- M.. T. MANION,

posed in such relation that said spring is H.. E. DU LAP; 

